A Week of Uruguay

Road Warrior

 I thought the whimsical nature of this sculpture seen in a playground in a town on the Uruguayan coast summed up the relaxed atmosphere of this country.

Although only spending a week in Uruguay, a small country of about 3 million people, I came away with a deep appreciation for the way of life there. 

Many lighthouses on the way

The capital city of Montevideo was easy to navigate as there is not a lot of traffic, even at rush hour, and the drivers are well mannered and considerate. I almost never heard a horn honking the whole time I was there. What a change from Brazil where I almost wore out my middle finger in showing my displeasure at the competency of many motorists.

Salvo Palace

Great architecture

Not so great architecture

Artigas - liberator of Uruguay

A few hours north west of the capital, still on the Rio de la Plata is the town of Colonia, one of the early colonial settlements that has changed hands between the Spanish, Argentinians and Uruguayans many time over the years since its founding in the early 1500’s

Entrance to Colonia fortress

Stone buildings

Central Park

Museum

Plaza de Tores

 The Plaza de Tores, just outside Colonia was built in 1909. At great expense the steel superstructure was brought in pieces from Great Britain and the sport ( if you were no a bull ) of bullfighting began to great fanfare. After just a handful of events the sport was banned in Uruguay and the arena fell into disrepair - so much for that business venture.

I crossed into Argentina at the town of Fray Bentos, known for its meat packing industry and the invention of corned beef as a way preserving meat before refrigeration. This product which was later canned and during WW1 and WW2 became the staple diet of the Allied forces.

Crossing into Argentina was the easiest border I have had to deal with so far. Both the Uruguayan and Argentinian immigration and customs are housed in the same building. I wondered why, what I thought was the Uruguayan customs official, was asking me so many questions at to where I was going. In fact he was checking me into Argentina. Not a single form to fill in and the whole process took about 20 minutes.